Joint space-time interpolation for distorted linear and bistatic array geometries

This paper presents a new joint space-time interpolation technique (STINT) to improve the small sample support performance of space-time adaptive processing (STAP) with distorted linear monostatic arrays and linear bistatic array configurations. Brennan's rule for the space-time clutter covariance matrix rank is extended to monostatic linear arrays with arbitrary intersensor spacing, distorted linear arrays and bistatic geometries. It is shown that both distortion in the array geometry and bistatic operation increase the clutter rank and cause the space-time clutter covariance matrix to become range dependent. This results in lower output signal-to-interference-plus-noise ratio (SINR) for the same number of adaptive degrees of freedom and reduced available sample support. This motivates the development of the STINT technique aimed at compensating for the clutter rank inflation, while also making the clutter statistics appear more stationary across range. More specifically, a linear transformation is designed that maps the received clutter across space and time to that which would be received by a "virtual" monostatic side-looking ULA. By mapping the data to form a reduced rank clutter covariance matrix, fewer snapshots are needed for a statistically stable matrix inversion as required in STAP, thereby improving the short observation time performance. Simulation results for a typical airborne radar scenario indicate up to 10-dB SINR improvement can be obtained using STINT with limited sample support.